Saturday, May 23, 2009

About Last Night's Game...

Hard to believe four experienced NHL officials could get a call so wrong.
Did the misguided first period expulsion of defenceman Niklas Kronwall from Game 3 of the Western Conference final on Friday night between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks decide the game? No, but it sure changed it, particularly since the Wings were already without star forward Pavel Datsyuk in a game won by the Hawks that ensured this year's Stanley Cup final will begin no earlier than June 5.
But in a playoff season in which the NHL has gotten so many calls wrong time after time, Kronwall's was arguably the worst miscarriage of justice outside the inexplicable non-suspension of Carolina forward Scott Walker for his goon sucker punch on Boston's Aaron Ward.

You should read the whole thing. I agree... completely... with what Mr. Cox and others (including what ALL of the Versus commentators said last evening) said about this hit. Bad call, to say the VERY least, and one that arguably affected the outcome of the game. I've seen some bad officiating in this year's playoffs, but this is the most egregious of ALL the bad calls made this year.

7 comments:

I agree with both of you on this: Buck on the very poor job of officiating done in that game and more importantly on this call. When My son first started skating it was to play Ice Hockey and his very first coach told him and all the boys playing to skate with your head up. NEVER look away from any one advancing on you. That was a good hit it is too bad Havlat has such a soft skull but that is how it is.

Daphne, the Pen's (make that the Stinking Pen's) are going to roll right up on Carolina. And that creep #71 Malkin is going to do it all by himself. I hate that guy and here he is beating Carolina almost single handed.

Dunno about the whole thing, Daphne, if the Wings make it through to the Final. That's a big IF, given that anything can happen in the playoffs. But, if they do make it to the Final (and I think they WILL) I'll remind you that we saw that movie before... just last summer. And we know how it ended, too.

Jimmy: Carolina will be lucky if they don't get swept. I originally thought they'd give the Pens more of a fight than they have... but the 'Canes' defense is sieve-like in its integrity and relative skill. Malkin is making those guys look like serious doofuses and if it wasn't for Ward it would be worse... MUCH worse.

I hope the 'Canes win Tuesday night, if only for their honor and the fact it would be fitting for the Pens to clinch at home... in front of their fans.